The Voice of a Star
by thehornedserpent
Summary: At the winter dance, Marco and Star find out that they've been elected "best couple." They are selected to karaoke together, and Marco is blown away by Star. STARCO FEELS! Two-shot
1. The Voice of A Star

**Hey, guys! Big Starco one-shot coming! Lots of feels! I might make it a two-shot if I get requests and have an idea. Anyway, Star and Marco go to a winter dance. Except it's not really** _ **that**_ **kind of dance. I'm just going to treat it like a middle school dance since I'm in middle school (and it works for the story). So yeah, it's one of those dances where everyone just goes in whatever and parties to party music. Not prom or anything. Just keep that in mind. :)**

 **Any and all reviews will be answered in a PM, unless I really want to answer a guest review, and that will appear at the bottom.**

 **Also, each time you see the "[]" the point of view shifts from third person limited Marco (seeing Marco's thoughts) to third person limited Star (seeing Star's thoughts) or vice versa. It's not anything dramatic.**

 **Added with second update: This is no longer a songfic because… well, you can just look at the reviews. But please! Don't let all those negative reviews taint your minds. The story is different now, and those reviews aren't even applicable! Instead, I have replaced all of the songs with original precepts. So… read on!**

 **Finally, I'd like to respond to the guest review I got on the update chapter from** Alaina brooker **. Thank you so much for you kind words! They really did make me feel better. :)**

 **Beta read by crysky.**

* * *

The crowd was silent, watching the person with the microphone in awe. No one wanted to miss a moment of this. It was as if some otherworldly creature had come to please their ears more than they had ever been pleased before. And that's exactly what it was.

* * *

 _Whoa…_ thought Marco, momentarily speechless. Star stood before him in a beautiful red gown-the one she had worn to the Blood Moon Ball. She had makeup on and wore matching red high heels. Her outfit left Marco without words and made him feel wrongly dressed in his hoodie and jeans, but as he got over the initial shock of it, something felt… off. Then he figured it out. This wasn't the same girl he'd seen a few minutes ago. This was Princess Star Butterfly of Mewni, not his friend Star the rebel princess from Earth.

Even though this blew him away… it wasn't _her_. And if it wasn't her, then it wasn't as good.

Marco caught himself. _Wait, I'm saying that as if I_ like _her. As if I think she's beautiful…. Pull yourself together, Marco!_ Marco shoved the thought down. "Star, do you think that might be… a little much? This isn't like a ball or anything it's more like a… party."

Star smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. I can't dance half as well with heels on." She then busted out some dance moves, but stumbled. Marco stepped forward and caught her. For a moment, their faces were inches apart, and Marco was staring into Star's big blue eyes. They sparkled with excitement behind them. It was memories like these that Marco loved to hold on to.

Marco righted her, and the moment ended. "Point proven," Marco remarked.

"Yeah, I'll change. Don't want that to happen again." But she said it funny. Almost as if she _did_ want it to happen again….

She dashed up the stairs. She eventually came down in her trademark green dress with a squid. Marco smiled. Now she was ready to be fun, goofy Star. The Star he loved… I mean, the one he liked. You know, like a friend.

The two walked to the door and stepped out to the cool night. It wasn't cold, though, just… nice. The stars were out and beautiful tonight. It wasn't that late, maybe 7:00, but the winter brought a shorter day. The moon was full and bright, flooding the town with soft light so that the streetlights were almost unnecessary. Marco glanced at Star. Her pale and radiant face seemed to glow in the night, just like all the stars above her. It wasn't weird that Marco thought his best friend looked kind of… beautiful. Right?

[]

Star stepped into the chilly night. Admittedly, wearing a short-sleeved dress and thin leggings hadn't been a good idea, but she assured herself that she'd be fine once they got to the school. And they needed to get going, otherwise they would be late.

Aside from the cold, the night sky was beautiful today. The moon shone down on them with a beautiful radiance, and each star twinkled like she was looking into a kaleidoscope.

Marco started walking, and she walked beside him. As she looked up at him, she got nervous. He was so close, and they were walking together to a… a _dance_. _A completely non-romantic winter party dance, of course. Nothing romantic about it! Nothing at all…._ Star was lost in thought and had stopped. Marco grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go! We're going to be late!" Star numbly let Marco lead her. The warmth of his hand sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She clenched her teeth, trying to drive the feeling away. This was really too much. She couldn't do this anymore. She slipped her hand out of Marco's, and the feeling subsided. Okay. That was alright. There were still butterflies, but they lay there more calmly.

Ugh! Why did she have to like Marco? She wished she didn't because everything would be so much simpler. But she couldn't deny it. She had a crush on her best friend. Her best friend who already had a girlfriend. That was just wrong. But it was true, and she couldn't stop liking him no matter how much she tried. So she just tried to pretend that she didn't. She bit her lip hard, replacing the emotions with pain. She put on a smile. "I'm so excited for the dance! I just can't wait to get in there and start dancing!" It was true, of course. She really was excited about this although she was a bit nervous at the moment.

They finally arrived at the school. Star burst through the gym doors, hearing the music start to play. Marco immediately left her to walk over to Jackie. "Have fun!" he said over his shoulder.

 _Without you, I guess,_ Star thought.

All around the room hung posters with a statement on them. There was one on pink paper, decorated with hearts, squiggles, and smiley faces, that caught her eye:

 **SOCIAL EXCLUSION IS WRONG!**

What was another word for being socially excluded? Getting ditched. Exactly what Marco had done to her. But he wasn't really that kind of guy. Maybe there was something she could do about this. Marco… kind of had motioned for her to go off, but there was nothing stopping her for walking over to hang out with Marco and Jackie. She knew Marco wouldn't mind too much.

She approached them, and as they came completely into view, she shouted, "Hey Marco-" and was about to say Jackie's name when she realized that they weren't paying attention, eyes closed and locked in a kiss.

No. No way. No freaking way was she going over there now.

She walked over to the snack table, not much feeling like dancing anymore. Cheetos and sandwiches sat on the table, and she began eating some, having nothing better to do and unable to stand… well, just standing there, as badly as that was phrased. It was much better to eat than to just stand there and watch Marco and Jackie. Better to turn away… ugh. Everyone told her that she shouldn't turn away from my problems. But what was the point of making myself miserable by watching them? It would only make me more likely to accidentally mess everything up.

Maybe she could leave. No, Marco would probably wonder where she was. Then again, it might take him hours to even realize she had left.

The Cheetos were good, and so were the sandwiches, almost as good as the ones found inside the monster that she and Marco had gone after before he was kidnapped. So she would stay.

"Hey, Star," came Marco's voice. He stood there, holding Jackie's hand. I got a bitter taste in my mouth and drank some punch to dispel it. "Sorry about kinda ditching you back there. It's just… I can always hang out with you, but I don't get to hang out with Jackie all the time. We can hang out after if you want."

Star gave a weak smile. "No, yeah. I get it. I'm all right. Go have fun with your girlfriend."

"You sure, Star?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, thanks." He looked up at Jackie, beaming. Marco whispered something to Jackie, and Star caught it: "We've got this night to ourselves." They kissed and walked off, leaving a pit in Star's stomach that no amount of punch could cease. She closed her eyes, and a tear slipped out. When she looked up again, she caught sight of another banner:

 **ALL GOOD THINGS REQUIRE SACRIFICE**

Star cared so much for Marco. She would easily sacrifice anything for him. She'd already sacrificed her wand, her most precious item. Of course, she had a new one, but that wasn't what mattered at the time. What mattered was Marco. Marco would never matter more to Jackie than to Star. He had a very, very special place in Star's heart and she just wished he could see that. What had Jackie done for him? Nothing. Star had sacrificed so much for him, placed so much trust in him, and yet none of those actions meant anything, did they? Marco just continued to break her heart without knowing it.

But really, what was she saying? Who was she to interfere with Marco and Jackie's relationship? Marco was happy. That's what mattered. Even if she felt heartbroken every time she saw him with Jackie, that was just a sacrifice. That was just the way things were. Like how eventually she'd have to become a good queen and rule the people of Mewni. That's just how it was. Whether she liked it or not. She really needed to stop running from her problems. She searched the gym for inspiration, eventually finding:

 **IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING GOOD TO SAY, DON'T SAY IT!**

The only thing that dropping the bomb on him would do was hurt him, right? So she shouldn't say it. The last thing Star wanted was for Marco to be hurt by her. If she kept all her feelings bottled up, hopefully it wouldn't happen. She just had to hide the truth. Pretend that those feelings weren't there. And who knew, maybe they'd go away after time. Maybe she'd find someone else! Like Tom… well, no, hopefully not like him. Like Oskar… well, not like him, either. She had just found out what "record" meant, and at that point she realized that she didn't really like him for anything other than… she couldn't even say, exactly. But she _loved_ Marco, she was sure about that. Everything about him.

No. No. Nononono. She absolutely did _not_ have a crush on Marco!

Her eyes darted around nervously. She caught a glimpse of a green poster with blue letters painted on:

 **THE FIRST STEP TO HONESTY** **IS TO BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF**

That was another thing Star was bad at. Being honest with herself. And if she was being completely honest with herself, she did have feelings for Marco that likely weren't going away.

But maybe-

No! No buts. It was true, one hundred percent true. She loved Marco. She didn't want to, but she did.

Truth Number Two: Marco had a girlfriend that he was very invested in and wasn't likely to leave.

Truth Number Three: She didn't like that. She felt like their friendship was suffering because of it. They hardly ever did anything together anymore. Marco was always doing something with Jackie or whatever. Most of the time it was the three of them, but it always ended up like this. It was the same at the Love Sentence concert. Star had prepared everything for them to have an awesome time: she'd gotten the tickets, made the t-shirts and everything! And she just ended up… on the outside, forgotten almost. It sucked. But was there really anything she could do?

Again, she pored the walls, looking for an answer to her questions somewhere up there. It was almost like that one time that she thought fortune cookies _actually_ told the future. Then she found something inspiring. The paper was the color of twilight and had stars scattered about it. A large orange shooting star dominated the banner, placed above the words, in white:

 **YOU** **ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN DESTINY!**

That's right. She had to make her own destiny. That she was good at; not following everyone's expectations and making my own way. She was going to go over and have a good time with Marco. She could do this. Upon coming to that decision, she walked toward the center of the dance floor. The next song came on, and Star got excited. It was her favorite song, "Just Friends" by Love Sentence. Star couldn't let anything upset her now. A smile spread across her face as she lost herself in the music. She moved her body to its rhythm, forgetting about everything for a few moments and just enjoying the song. She closed her eyes and spun around, letting the good feelings overtake her. Suddenly, she ran into someone, and they took her hands. Star opened her eyes to find it was…

Janna. Star laughed, albeit a bit disappointed. "Care to dance?" Janna asked mischievously.

"Sure." _  
_Star and Janna laughed as they danced around.

Janna pulled Star close then sent her spinning away. "Catch ya later, I'm getting some punch," Janna said. She looked around. She was almost in the center of the dance floor. She caught a glimpse of Marco and immediately wished she hadn't. He was standing next to Jackie. They had their arms around each other, and they were singing the song together.

Star stopped to stare in disbelief. _That's_ our _song! That should be Marco and I singing together!_ She felt a tear sting her eye and retreated to the snack table to drown her misery in sandwiches and Cheetos again.

After her hands were completely covered in orange dust, Janna came over to her. "Not having much fun, eh?"

"No, this… this is great." Star attested, faking a smile.

"C'mon Star, it's obvious that either you haven't eaten in five days or something's bothering you."

"Star glanced down at the sandwich tray and Cheeto bowl. They were each half-empty, if not more.

Noticing Star's glance, Janna mentioned, "They refilled those right before you came back."

Star sighed, giving in a bit. "Yeah, you're right. But… it's something you wouldn't understand."

Janna rubbed her chin. "Hmmm, let me guess: you like Marco, but he's with Jackie. You're too afraid to tell him because you think he won't return your feelings. And why would he return your feelings if he already has a girlfriend? So you put up with it. And then tonight you've been watching Marco and Jackie, wishing you were in Jackie's place. And then they sing Marco's and your favorite song and that was just the worst. Does that sum it up?"

Star stared at her, slack-jawed. "How do you know all this?!"

Janna held up Star's journal and gave it to her, stating nonchalantly, "You really should upgrade your security on this thing."

"Janna!"

"Trust me, just hang on through these next few songs, and I've got a surprise for you."

Star smirked, knowing Janna had something up her sleeve.

There was a pause in the music and the DJ's voice came on the microphone: "Our last song of the night is gonna be a slow song, just for kicks! So all you lovey-dovey couples, come down to the dance floor!"

Star saw Marco shake his head and back away, but Jackie pulled him to the center of the dance floor.

This was all felt wrong. It was miserable, is what it was. Star watched Marco and Jackie dancing around the floor, holding each other's hands. They stepped and swung and twirled about. There was a look of anxious ecstasy on Marco's face, and Jackie looked to be having the night of her life. Star only wished that she could be feeling the same.

At the same time, Star tried to feel even an ounce of happiness for Marco, but had minimal success. At least she managed to fake a smile. She consumed another sandwich and a handful of Cheetos. She looked one last time to the walls for inspiration. This time, she found nothing until she looked behind her. This one said:

 **GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE WHO DESERVE IT**

Star did have to give Marco credit. Marco was an amazing boy. He didn't deserve all her angry thoughts toward him. He deserved who he wanted. If it wasn't her, so be it. Marco was so great that no one was good enough to deserve him. You just had to be the lucky one. Which she was not. But she deserved him no more than anyone else. So why could she complain?

A minute or so after the song ended, Star was surprised to hear Janna's voice coming from the stage: "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! It's time to announce who's been elected Best Couple! We're starting with the freshmen!

"The votes from this week have been counted, and the winner of Freshmen Best Couple is… drumroll please… Marco and Star!"

Star's jaw dropped. Now that was one heck of a surprise! Although Star did wonder if she had rigged the voting.

"Now if I could have Star Butterfly and Marco Diaz please come to the stage."

Star shoved her way through the crowd. Meanwhile, Marco looked at Jackie apologetically. She shrugged. "Shipper's gonna ship, I suppose. Go on up there."

"Uh… thanks, Jackie."

Star and Marco met up on the stage, looking at Janna quizzically. "As winners of this poll," Janna announced, "you get to sing karaoke together! High School Musical style! Ooh, I'm pumped!" Janna handed Star her microphone and got Marco another. "You guys ready?"

Star and Marco nodded, Marco gulping.

The music intro started. Marco licked his lips nervously, his eyes darting around the room of maybe a hundred people.

"Hey," Star smiled at him, "you'll do fine."

"Thanks." Then he put his microphone to his mouth and started, shakily at first.

" _I never knew I needed you.  
But when you came around you proved  
That you were something missing in my life  
Someone who helped ease the strife"_

The song started slowly but began to speed up gradually.

 _Someone I could trust and count on  
To lift my spirits up from the darkness  
To keep evil at bay,  
To brighten up my day  
Life's never slow around you_

 _You make life worth living, it's true_

Marco wasn't too bad, honestly. He took a breath. Star looked him in the eye and joined in for the chorus.

" _You take me to a place I love to be  
And I love the person that you make me  
I can't believe I've waited all this time  
And since I can't think up another rhyme  
I'll just tell how I feel. _

_I'll just tell how I feel."_

This was the most fun Star had had all night. She really started to get into it, singing passionately as she and Marco continued the chorus.

" _You're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years  
It's like we're meant to be  
'Cause you're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years.  
It's like we're meant to be  
It's like we're meant to be"_

Star felt a sense of relief, almost. She felt like she was expressing her feelings with this song, and it felt so good to sing them out loud so everyone could hear. Marco dropped off, and Star got a bit quieter for the second verse.

" _Not long ago, I couldn't find myself.  
I had lost me somewhere in my dreams  
The only thing that was left:  
A heart falling apart at the seams  
And then there you came, out of nowhere  
You came up behind me unaware  
Said you'd take me out of here  
Said you'd take away the fear"_

[]

Marco's microphone almost slipped from his hand. Star had sounded good in the chorus, but when Marco had dropped off and her voice could be heard alone… _¡Dios!_ Her voice was a heavenly angel's-no, a voice no divine being could rival, much less a human. Her voice, just… wow. He could listen to that all night long. Had he really never heard her sing before? Not like this. And he wanted to soak up every minute of it. So much so that he refused to sing the chorus, leaving Star to take care of it.

[]

" _You take me to a place I love to be  
And I love the person that you make me  
I can't believe I've waited all this time  
And since I can't think up another rhyme  
I'll just tell how I feel."_

Star looked at Marco, concerned. She motioned with her hand, _Keep going!_ But Marco waved her off, dropping the microphone to his side. Star furrowed her eyebrows but kept singing.

" _You're exactly what I've been looking for...  
You're who I've awaited all these years  
It's like we're meant to be  
'Cause you're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years.  
It's like we're meant to be  
It's like we're meant to be"_

She enjoyed singing this part so much that her voice rose. The whole auditorium could hear her loud and clearly. She put so much energy and enthusiasm into each word that it seemed to burst off her lips, exploding into the air like a beautiful firework.

 _And when I look up at the stars at night  
_ _I see us together shining oh so bright  
_ _So take my hand, and let's take flight  
_ _I feel, I feel, I feel so alive  
_ _And in the moment it just feels so right  
_ _And now I finally see the li-ight!_

After holding that final note, she started with the chorus again.

" _You're exactly what I've been looking for...  
You're who I've awaited all these years  
It's like we're meant to be  
'Cause you're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years.  
It's like we're meant to be  
It's like we're meant to be"_

But her enthusiasm abruptly vanished as her gaze drifted to Jackie. She was still so wrapped up in the song and letting her feelings fly into the air that she kept on singing even after the song ended, unconsciously composing a new stanza as she sung in a slow, sad voice, looking straight into Marco's eyes:

" _But I never can have you, can I?  
Because I came just too late  
But inside I will always love you anyway  
Because, in my eyes, you're meant for me"_

Her eyes drifted back to Marco, and she realized she'd just sung. _Oh no. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no!_ Singing the extra lines not only revealed their content, but also revealed that she related to the whole song. That the whole song was true. That she thought Marco and she were meant to be. That it was all true.

And it was.

"I'm so sorry, Marco! I'm sorry!" Star cried.

But Marco was too lost in her singing to register it.

Star threw down the microphone, making it spin across the stage, as she ran off the stage and through the door. She found a bench and sat in it. As the weight of everything she had just sung came crashing down on her, she began to cry anew. Her hair hung down in her face as she slumped her head, but the wind blew it out of the way. The cold, bitter wind. The cold and the sadness all melted together into the same, and as her tears faded she started to shiver. The wind bit into her face and exposed arms relentlessly.

Then a warmth wrapped around her. It was Marco's hoodie.

"You all right?"

Star smiled up at him. The jacket helped, but Marco just being there cleared the cold away. "Yeah, thanks."

Marco sat down next to her. "You know, your voice was beautiful."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The whole school was staring."

"Well, I was just having fun with it."

There was a silence before Marco began, "I know I've been ignoring you a bit tonight."

Star nodded, not denying it.

"I'm sorry. It's just so hard… trying to be a good boyfriend and a good best friend at the same time. I love spending time with you, Star. I just feel… guilty, like I should be with Jackie instead. I mean, she is my girlfriend after all."

There was such a simple solution to the problem. Star only wished he could see it. If he did see it, he didn't act on it.

Marco continued, "It's just… is it weird that I enjoy being with you more than being with my own girlfriend?"

"Honestly, a little."

Marco sighed. "It's hard trying to split my attention between my girlfriend and best friend-"

"But what if they were the same person?" The elephant had been in the room since she had sung the extra lines to the song. Marco knew from that that she wanted to be with Marco. It just needed to be addressed.

[]

Marco's smile dropped into a serious line. He closed his eyes, coming to somewhat of a decision. He took Star in a tight hug and held her there for a while. "I love you, Star," he whispered.

He eventually pulled back, placing his hands on Star's shoulders, and stared into her eyes. A tear slipped out of Star's eye-not really out of sadness, not out of joy, but out of pure emotion. Marco wiped it away, brushing her hair from her face as he did so. She sat there, wrapped in his hoodie, the wind blowing her hair around the side of her face. She was beautiful.

"I love you, Marco."

They pulled each other into another embrace that they kept for a long time.

* * *

 **The song that Star and Marco sing to is titled "Meant to Be." This song** _ **is**_ **owned by me, and it is my own original work. The full song is up on chapter 3.**

 **So that's it! Open-ended Starco!**


	2. The Two Stars Shining

**This starts immediately after chapter 2. Star helps Marco work out his feelings. Who will he choose? Read!**

* * *

When they re-entered, they found that the music was back on. And one more thing. Jackie was gone. Marco scanned the crowd for her but couldn't find her blond and aqua hair anywhere. Marco felt a bit guilty, thinking his karaoke with Star had caused her to leave, but remembered Jackie commenting about being tired. The outro of the song was playing, just a few riffs. Then the next song started.

As Star pulled Marco through the crowd-holding his hand, Marco just realized-he started to think. He had started ignoring Star since he and Jackie had officially started dating. She was neglected whenever Marco was distracted by Jackie. He'd never really realized what Star must have been going through.

And when Marco asked her to come which him to the school dance… he had messed up so badly. When Jackie had asked him, he didn't even consult Star. He just… ditched her. She'd played it off well, but that must have hurt a little.

More things came to mind. The Love Sentence concert. Jackie's and his first kiss had been so amazing for Marco, but it must have been torture the whole time. Star had set up the whole thing for us, and then got outcasted as a third wheel. And knowing what Marco knew now, it must have been so painful to see her crush kissing another girl. Right. In front. Of her. No wonder she had left.

Marco sighed. He had been an awful friend. But Marco hadn't even known. Star had endured all of that without a word. Star was even stronger than Marco knew. And even though it complicated things, Marco was glad she had told him. Marco couldn't imagine carrying around all that weight.

But it wasn't too late to start over. Marco wanted to start over with her, before it was all over and Star became too jealous and exploded on him. They could turn this around. Star felt lonely, and she would do most anything to find her way back to even just a normal friendship with Marco. The exhilarating thing was that she was so close to possibly being with him. This felt like a great opportunity to start over with something new-with a relationship-and hopefully get closer to each other.

[]

It would feel so great if that all worked out. A certain happiness she had felt only once before… but only for it to get stomped out later. She wanted to finally experience that feeling, except lasting. And she was so close. Tonight could be the night. She needed to make the most of it. She needed to come completely clean.

"Marco, I want-I need you to stay. I know this is really hard for you, and you don't have to make the decision just yet, but…" she put her hands firmly in his shoulders "...it's so hard watching you with Jackie and not being with you. It makes me think… dark thoughts. I sincerely don't believe that Jackie has the same dependency on you that I do. It's just… we've been through so many adventures together, and I feel so close to you. I'd trust you with my life. And… honestly, it's hard to see a future without you. I love you, Marco."

Marco just nodded silently for a few seconds, then spoke. "I don't know, but there's a possibility that I have developed feelings for you over the months since you arrived.

"I just don't know how to break up with Jackie or if I even want to. I don't want to hurt her. And I feel like we do have something. It just… it's hard to let go of her, after dreaming of dating her for so long then finally getting my dream. It just feels like… I'm throwing something away."

Silence ensued. As it lengthened, Marco looked around them, at the flashing lights and the blaring musics and the crowds of people. "Do you want to talk about it somewhere else? Like at home?"

Star thought. "Yeah," she agreed.

The two walked on the path to their house. Marco had again offered his hoodie to Star, who gratefully accepted it. They had a decent walk home-a few blocks. It was peaceful with the stars out and twinkling brightly. They didn't encounter anyone as they walked. It was a good a time as any to start talking.

"Okay, Star, I'm a little confused. So basically you have a crush on me and want be to break up with Jackie so we can start dating. That's your ideal situation, right?"

"Well… I guess. I don't want you to just dump Jackie or anything… Corn, this is awkward. I don't want you to do anything, I guess. I didn't want to mess anything up. I just thought you deserved to know… and, well, it came out subconsciously."

"What?"

"I want you to do whatever makes you happiest."

"I'm confused."

"Well, who do you like more, Jackie or me?" Star asked rhetorically.

She was surprised when Marco took a few seconds to think. "I… I don't know. That's what I can't decide!"

"Wait, you like be back?"

"Um… yes?" Marco sighed in frustration.

Star perked up. "That's news to me!"

Marco put his face in his hands. "All right, so you like me, I like you, I like Jackie, Jackie likes me."

"Love triangle."

It felt so weird talking about his love life with someone who had a crush on him. But that was what best friends would do, right? They were there for each other when they needed them most. Even if it meant awkwardness.

They arrived at the Diaz residence and sat down on the couch, facing each other.

"Look, Marco, of course I want you to choose me, but I want even more for you to be happy. I just need an answer, is all. It's too painful to be left wondering. Even if you tell me no, I'll be alright. I'll settle into being just friends, and I'll be fine with that. But I'm entirely ready to be more than friends."

"I just don't know what makes me happy."

"Think about the times we've had together and your times with Jackie. Which one was more enjoyable?" Star suggested thoughtfully.

"I mean, it's hard to compare. I mean, I've never been on a date with you-"

"Marco, we do couple things all the time. Think about our nacho and movie nights."

Marco nodded thoughtfully. He sat with his chin on his fist pensively for a while, staring down at the cushions between him and Star. He eventually lifted his head, looking into Star's blue eyes. "Thank you, Star. You've helped me a lot."

He pulled her in for a hug, and they embraced each other tightly. Marco couldn't help but notice that he liked the feeling of Star's hair brushing the back of his neck.

"I just… I have to…"

"Talk to Jackie," Star finished.

"Yeah."

[]

Star waited outside Marco's room as he talked to Jackie, able to hear Marco but unable to decipher his words. She heard Marco talk unintelligibly for a few minutes. He talked for a long time, and Jackie didn't seem to respond; she was just listening. And Marco seemed to have a lot to say. Then Marco stopped and didn't continue for a good two minutes. At first, Star thought he was done, but she then realized that Jackie had a lot to say to him, too. After that, the conversation became more of a dialogue, with Marco speaking and pausing regularly.

Star suddenly heard one word shouted by Marco: "What?!" Star suddenly grew concerned for him, but he lowered his voice even quieter than usual, and she couldn't hear a word. A few seconds later, Marco came stumbling out of the room, his eyes a little wet. He gave Star a bittersweet smile. "I'm all yours, Star; Jackie just broke up with me. On good terms. She just said that she knew this would happen all along and-" his voice cracked.

Multiple emotions swelled up inside her. Pity. Guilt. Relief. Star could see that Marco had taken it hard. Star hugged him, trying to offer her strength. "Hey, it's alright. We've got each other."

Marco cried. He actually cried. He never cried. Star could feel the tears hitting her skin. But what she couldn't see was the teary smile Marco had on his face.

[]

Marco pulled away. Tears lingered on his face, but he was no longer crying. Instead, he was smiling. This girl is amazing. She reached over and brushed his tear away, just like he had to her. Marco closed his eyes when she did so, and when he reopened them, he saw Star in an entirely new way. He hadn't realized it, but he'd had a girlfriend all along, even before Jackie. This wasn't a union of the two but a realization that they were already united. It felt like the moment could last forever, but neither of them wanted to wait to experience what would come next. Star seemed to get an idea, smiling, and told Marco to look for a movie. Then she disappeared into the kitchen.

Marco scrolled through movies on Netflix for a while, eventually settling on High School Musical. (A/N: What, it fits the scene. Don't hate on me.) Then he waited, listening to Star clatter around in the kitchen. He wondered what she was making, but it was obvious she wanted it to be a surprise.

A while later, she came out with a large pile of warm nachos. They looked just like Marco's. It made him smile. As she approached him, though, the cheeze seemed to be the wrong color, and the jalapeños seemed distorted and brown. The tomatoes were circular, unlike the normal diced ones Marco used. But it still looked delicious.

Star set the plate down, and Marco started the movie. They each took a chip and ate it at the same time. This chip exploded with flavor in Marco's mouth, but he did figure out that the cheese was caramel, the jalapeños were chocolate, and the tomatoes were maraschino cherries. It actually tasted amazingly good.

Star frowned. "They don't taste like yours at all!"

Marco smiled. "No, they don't. But they taste amazing. They're awesome in their own special way."

They watched the rest of the movie, making jokes or chatting during parts. The plate of nachos diminished until there was only one left. Marco took it and lifted it to his face, but Star dove in and bit off part of the chip. Before either of them knew it, their lips were touching in their first kiss. It lasted for only a second or two, as neither of them were really prepared for it. When they pulled away, Star's skin nearly matched her cheek marks.

"I didn't really mean to-"

"It's all right," Marco stopped her. "I liked it."

Star gave him a small smile. "I just wasn't sure, you know, since we've only been together for a few hours."

"Star, we've been together since you came here."

Marco came in and kissed Star again. This one lasted longer and conveyed all the affection the two had had for each other all this time without realizing it.

* * *

This two-shot is officially over! Besides a three-shot feeling like too much, I just don't know where to take it from here. If you want more Starco from me, watch for the sixth installment to my one-shot compilation, The Fault in Our Star. It is going to be called "Quinceañera" and will basically be an AU of "Stump Day." It is now out!

Added after revision:

Sorry all your suggestions were removed, Starshine89! We enjoyed them while they lasted, at least! :)

The full version of my original song "Meant to Be" is on the next chapter.


	3. Meant to Be--Full Version

Meant to be

[Male Lead]

I never knew I needed you.  
But when you came around you proved  
That you were something missing in my life  
Someone who helped ease the strife  
Someone I could trust and count on  
To lift my spirits up from the darkness  
To keep evil at bay,  
To brighten up my day  
Life's never slow around you  
You make life worth living, it's true

[Both]

You take me to a place I love to be  
And I love the person that you make me  
I can't believe I've waited all this time  
And since I can't think up another rhyme  
I'll just tell how I feel.  
I'll just tell how I feel.

You're exactly who I've been looking for...  
You're who I've awaited all these years  
It's like we're meant to be  
'Cause you're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years.  
It's like we're meant to be  
It's like we're meant to be

[Female Lead]

Not long ago, I couldn't find myself.  
I had lost me somewhere in my dreams  
The only thing that was left:  
A heart falling apart at the seams  
And then there you came, out of nowhere  
You came up behind me unaware  
Said you'd take me out of here  
Said you'd take away the fear

[Both]

You take me to a place I love to be  
And I love the person that you make me  
I can't believe I've waited all this time  
And since I can't think up another rhyme  
I'll just tell how I feel.

You're exactly who I've been looking for...  
You're who I've awaited all these years  
It's like we're meant to be  
'Cause you're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years.  
It's like we're meant to be  
It's like we're meant to be

And when I look up at the stars at night  
I see us together shining oh so bright  
So take my hand, and let's take flight  
I feel, I feel, I feel so alive  
And in the moment it just feels so right  
And now I finally see the li-ight

You take me to a place I love to be  
And I love the person that you make me|  
I can't believe I've waited all this time  
And since I can't think up another rhyme  
I'll just tell how I feel

You're exactly who I've been looking for…  
You're who I've awaited all these years  
It's like we're meant to be  
'Cause you're exactly who I've been looking for  
You're who I've awaited all these years.  
It's like we're meant to be  
It's like we're meant to be

[Male lead]

We're perfect together the way that we are  
Nothing in the world could tear us apart  
Can't believe I didn't know from the start  
That we were meant to be  
That we are meant to be

[Female lead]

When I look back at the days without you,  
The only thing I is see is blue  
You're the best thing that's happened in my life.  
Never again will I feel that strife  
When you're standing next to me  
When you stand next to me

[Both]

Because we're meant to be.  
Because we're meant to be.

* * *

 **Is it good? :)**


End file.
